He used deep level focus, but not the deepest he could manage now. Doing that tended to shift his own pattern too much. This way he could nudge the magical imprint into place a bit more slowly and without influencing himself that deeply in response. The truth was, in a small way at least, to make a magical device, you had to make part of your own pattern become the field you need. It was why he was better at copying fields he knew well, he understood suddenly. Then you used your own information, what caused you to have real form and be unique, as leverage to pry what you were working on into a new shape.

Still, just a little over two hours later he had two small boxes floating next to him in the air with bundles of flying rigs and shields like he'd planned. When he checked his own field he found… that he was fine. It was easy to feel the fields he'd just made within himself still, but they were fading fast and his own was taking precedence again. Good. As long as he allowed full recovery between work sessions he should be all right. Getting up to stretch he jumped as the door latch, a magical lock that he'd made years ago, suddenly flipped open and the door pushed in without hesitation.

Standing in the doorway was a giant filling the whole space, nearly totally. Red hair, still fairly short compared to Tor's own girlishly long locks, lean frame dressed in brown canvas, and standing nearly seven foot two now.

Rolph.

Tor didn't freak out or jump up and tackle the man, since they'd last hung out not two days before. Instead Tor tilted his head and considered the situation.

“You know Rolph, I don't think you're really going to be able to pull of the “Rolph Merchant” disguise much longer. Do merchants ever get to be over six-eight or so?”

Laughing his friend winked.

“Depends on who their dad is, doesn't it? I should be all right for now. Well, except that I'm rooming with the Wizard Tor. With all the freshmen girls beating down our door to get to you, I'll probably never get any sleep. Speaking of never getting any sleep, how’s Ali? I know you two planned on your own house…”